RAWALPINDI : As few days left for Eid ul Fitr, shopping has gained momentum as great rush of people is being witnessed in all markets and bazaars of the city.

A great rush is being witnessed in almost all shopping malls and bazaars including Bank Road, Adam Jee Road, Commercial Market, Tench Bhatta, People’s Colony, Saddar Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Raja Bazaar and other markets of the city.

A large number of women and children are thronging to markets and commercial plazas to purchase clothes, footwear, cosmetics, henna, bangles and other items. Shopkeepers have decorated their shops with colourful lights to attract customers. The shopping frenzy is expected to reach its peak during the coming days.

To ensure security, police have been deployed in various busy shopping centres, an official said. He said that law enforcers were also deployed in plain clothes at various sensitive areas and close circuit cameras were also installed at different busy bazaars and public places to check the suspects.

Meanwhile, despite tall claims by authorities concerned, encroachers are still active in different areas of the city that creates problem for the buyers coming for shopping for Eid ul Fitr.

The encroachments are increasing day-by-day in different parts of the city but concerned authorities have not taken concrete steps to check this practice.

Adiala Road, Dhamial Road, Chakri Road, Morgah, Misrial Road, Dhama Mor and several other areas are still occupied by the encroachers as shopkeepers and vendors have occupied most of the footpaths and open spaces with Suzuki pickups, and other goods displayed by shopkeepers in front of their shops hampering traffic flow besides creating trouble for the pedestrians to walk.

Rawalpindi Cantonment is also not safe from encroachments particularly areas including Tench Bhata Bazaar, Peoples Colony, Chungi No 22, Dhoke Syedan, Bakra Mandi, Dhamiyal Road, Talli Mori and other localities.

Arifa, a housewife, said that she avoided going to markets for shopping due to ever-increasing encroachments on roads. She said that there was no proper system to tackle the problem.

The residents demanded of the authorities to launch a comprehensive drive to remove encroachments which should then be followed by strict monitoring to check re-emergence of the encroachers.